Electronic Supply Interviews CEO Brian Dehlsen of Milexia Nordics Ahead of Recent Name Change

Despite new French owners and a name change, everyday life remains much the same at the component company formerly known as Cabcon.

It all began in 2003, and as of 1 April, it’s officially over. The Cabcon name has been laid to rest.

The component distributor from Brøndby was acquired last year by French group Milexia, and the company has now been renamed Milexia Nordics.

However, daily operations haven’t changed significantly, says founder and CEO Brian Dehlsen.

“Reporting to France is a naturally part of the change, but it hasn’t changed our DNA or the way we work. We continue as before, and we’re still the ones setting the direction,” says Brian Dehlsen.

He explains that the various subsidiaries within the Milexia Group are, to a large extent, allowed to run their businesses independently, with their own administration, finances, and warehouse. Support is available from the headquarters, and there are regular meetings. The implementation of a shared CRM is also underway.

New Markets

Brian Dehlsen adds that he can certainly feel he’s now part of a group with significantly more financial muscle. In its most recent financial year, Cabcon had a turnover of DKK 145 million, while Milexia Group’s revenue exceeds DKK 1 billion. The French group also has over 300 employees, compared to just 18 in Brøndby.

According to Brian Dehlsen, 35 percent of Milexia’s revenue comes from the defence sector, whereas Cabcon has primarily operated as a design-in distributor, supplying electronic components to the electronics and manufacturing industries.

Joining the Milexia Group has therefore significantly expanded Brian Dehlsen’s portfolio.

“We’re gaining access to new markets, new products, and new customers. With defence added to the portfolio, we’re looking at strong growth. From Milexia’s side, there’s also a clear ambition to strengthen our presence in the Nordics,” says Brian Dehlsen.

Before the acquisition, Cabcon had subsidiaries in Sweden, Norway, Poland, and Hong Kong. Since the takeover, Finland has been added. These entities continue to be included in Milexia Nordics’ financial reporting and remain under Brian Dehlsen’s leadership.

A Class Above

But it’s not only the expanded business scope that’s fuelling growth, says Brian Dehlsen. There’s also significant potential in the original business area.

“We’ve moved up a class, which means we can now engage with even larger customers. And we have access to a massive supplier database,” he explains.

Milexia is also actively exploring potential acquisitions in the Nordics as part of its growth strategy.

A Natural Choice

Following the sale in June, Cabcon added “A Milexia Company” to its logo until the name change was officially implemented — in part to help customers get used to the new name. According to Dehlsen, long-standing business partners have been very receptive.

“Both customers and suppliers have been very open. They could see it was a natural step for a small company that had grown steadily to move up to another level,” he says.

Dehlsen founded Cabcon in 2003, marking the end of 22 years of history. However, he doesn’t feel overly sentimental about the name change:

“It would be sentimental if we were entering something that wasn’t an improvement. But we’ve been welcomed warmly, and we have some exciting opportunities ahead.”

“I started Cabcon many years ago, and it’s great to see it carried forward in a new form. It shows we’ve done something right,” says Brian Dehlsen.

Up until June, the CEO owned 70 percent of Cabcon, while business partner Jacob Jørgensen held 30 percent. As part of the ownership transition — for which the purchase price was not disclosed — the two former owners received shares in the Milexia Group.

Milexia Group has offices not only in the Nordics and its home country of France, but also in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany and Hong Kong.

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This In the Media post is based on a translation of the article originally published on Electronic Supply. Please note this article is in Danish.

For more information, read the official article here or visit the company’s LinkedIn page for ongoing updates on future initiatives and products.